From a desolate prison in Ohio to an empty lighthouse off the shores of Oregon, today
we look at Unusual Abandoned Places In The United States.
Number 11.
Salton Riviera Amid the deserts of California, just under
60 miles outside of Palm Springs, is the relic of the resort town that never was.
Also known as Salton Seaside, Salton City, or American Riviera, this settlement was centered
around the city's marina and was advertised in the 1960s as a desert beach oasis.
But rising water elevation, a lack of employment opportunities, and dangerous pollution levels
in the Salton Sea all led to this city's downfall as 81% of it remains incomplete and undeveloped.
Number 10.
Mansfield Reformatory Also called the Ohio State Reformatory, this
famed prison has a whole lot of history.
Between 1886 and 1910, the Mansfield Reformatory was built upon a 40-acre property.
Originally, this land was used as a training camp during the American military contention
for secession in the 1860s.
But by the time 1867 rolled around, the region became approved for the location of a new
Intermediary Penitentiary, meant to be a halfway stop between a juvenile detention center and
the State Penitentiary.
The first batch of prisoners to serve time here would assist in its construction, being
put to work building the institution's sewer system and 25-foot-tall outer wall.
Once it was complete, the prison remained functional and in full use until a decree
forced its closure in 1990 due to overcrowding and poor living conditions.
Since then, the Mansfield Reformatory has been under rehabilitation and has served as
a setting in famous films and other works like Air Force One and The Shawshank Redemption.
Number 9.
Six Flags New Orleans Amusement parks are supposed to be fun, vibrant
getaways from the real world, and when it opened in 2000 under the name Jazzland, the
140-acre Six Flags New Orleans was just that.
With the slogan "It's playtime", the park provided visitors with entertainment from
attractions like their many DC Comics and Looney Tunes themed rides, plus their Cajun
and Mardi Gras influenced park sections.
The success of Six Flags New Orleans inspired expansion as the park planned to open a water
park on the property in early 2005.
But later that year, disaster struck as Hurricane Katrina obliterated the magical grounds, leaving
the park in ruins.
Today, Six Flags New Orleans is a decrepit shell of its former self, with the park as
a whole determined to be "an effective and total loss".
The unique condition of this location has drawn the attention of the public and Hollywood
alike, with thrillseekers recording videos of the park for YouTube and filmmakers using
the site for movies like Stolen, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and Jurassic World.
Number 8.
Elkmont Historic District The Little River Valley in the Great Smoky
Mountains of Tennessee's Sevier County is a gorgeous example of the Appalachian wilderness
and historically a popular location for hunting and fishing.
The area of Elkmont was originally settled by settlers in search of gold, but when a
logging company took over the region, the owner opened it up to locals in search of
game.
As timber in the region ran low, and the owner sold much of the land to the Great Smoky mountains
Park Commission, he began transitioning the Elkmont valley into an Appalachian vacation
spot.
Cottages, cabins, and even a Hotel sprouted up in Elkmont, and the small community of
buildings would become a resort town.
The forest-shrouded residents of the region sought to further protect their slice of paradise
after the lumber company up and left.
They sparked the movement to establish the Great Smoky Mountains as a national park,
but this would cause the settlers to have to sell their property to the government.
As their leases ended, Elkmont would become an isolated cabin town, with many of the cottages
and clubhouses protected as historical buildings today.
Number 7.
Cape Romano Dome Home In the late 1970s, after retiring from the
oil business, one man decided to construct his dream vacation home.
Purchasing plots of land and a barge to transport supplies, and constructing the white, concrete
structures, he slowly but surely put together this six-dome home on the shores of Caxambas
Island in Cape Romano . To prepare for the Florida home, he built a full-scale model
on a Tennessee property he owned, the likes of which can still be found today.
Eventually, after exchanging hands a couple times, the original designer of the Dome Home
moved in permanently, enjoying the unique, tranquil setting and fishing opportunity.
But over the years, erosion took its toll and the sea level rose to meet the pillars
on which the domes sat.
Then Hurricane Wilma hit in 2005, destabilizing the home's foundation.
In the years to follow, the coastline would rise and the distance from these decaying
domes would continue to increase.
As of 2017, thanks to Hurricane Irma, only four of the domes remain intact, now 180 feet
away from the land they were once atop.
Number 6.
Bannerman Castle A grand structure sits on the Pollepel Island
of the Hudson River, reminiscent of fortresses from across the Atlantic.
The great Bannerman Castle was originally erected by an Irish immigrant named Francis
Bannerman VI as a regal storage space for his burgeoning military surplus business.
However, the building stopped construction in 1918 with his passing.
Two years later, more than 200 pounds of ammunition and powder exploded, destroying part of the
structure and leaving it in disrepair.
Over time, the sale of firearms to the public became more difficult due to state and federal
regulations, and with the sinking of the island's serving ferry, the castle and its stockpile
became vacant after 1950.
Eventually the state purchased the island, removed the munitions, and began giving tours
to the public.
But after a fire broke out in 1969, just a year after its reopening, New York designated
Bannerman's Castle as off-limits.
Today it remains a popular landmark, though the ruins have been the victim of vandalism
and neglect, with portions continuing to collapse periodically.
Number 5.
Glenrio Ghost Town Straddling the border between Quay [kway]
County, New Mexico and Deaf Smith County, Texas is the real-life version of Radiator
Springs from Disney's Cars.
The quaint town of Glenrio once served as a popular pit stop along the famous Route
66.
It began as a railroad town named Rock Island, but switched to Glenrio in 1908 and began
receiving traveling motorists by 1917.
But with the formation of Route 66 in 1926, the small town quickly grew as business picked
up heading into the 30s.
Glenrio added multiple filling stations, motels and dining establishments in both states it
occupied to accommodate the increased traffic.
However, in 1973, Interstate 40 was installed and completely bypassed the small community,
allowing travelers to skip the collection of businesses entirely....just like the fantasy
town of Radiator Springs.
This relation wasn't lost on filmmakers, either, as Pixar animators took road trips across
Route 66 in preparation for the film, experiencing the classic highway firsthand.
As a result, an easter egg can be found in Cars paying tribute to this ghost town by
way of the "Glenn Rio Motel" which uses the real life Little Juarez Cafe in Glenrio as
inspiration.
Number 4.
Tillamook Rock Lighthouse Once the most expensive lighthouse ever built
on the West Coast, this structure is a gorgeous historical landmark.
But time and mother nature haven't been too kind to the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse as the
waters off the Oregon Coast have thrashed it since its completion in 1881.
The hazardous weather and difficult time endured by lighthouse keepers and suppliers earned
the building the nickname of "Terrible Tilly".
The isolated building sits atop a large rock about 1.2 miles off the shore of Tillamook
Head, and as such, keepers working here endured hardships in their work.
The lighthouse stayed in operation until 1957, due to the extreme costs to upkeep the great
sea beacon.
Afterwards, it was used for a short time as a columbarium, or a public storage center
for urns, but this didn't last long as the realtors owning it would have their license
revoked by the Oregon Mortuary and Cemetery Board.
Today it remains hard to access, with helicopter transport the only sure way to get there.
In addition to being a Nationally Registered Historical Place, the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse
is also part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, with the seabirds of the
region being protected from disturbance during nesting season.
Number 3.
Hudson River State Hospital In upstate New York at the town of Poughkeepsie
, the massive grounds of the Hudson River State Hospital have stood tall since its initial
construction in 1871.
This structure is a national historic landmark thanks to its High Victorian Gothic architecture,
a unique style and the first of its kind among American institutions.
Fifteen separate buildings make up the hospital grounds, many of which were built after the
institution's initial launch, and the property itself is 296 acres!
But as progress was made in the psychiatric field, less and less patients required being
committed to mental health facilities such as this.
As patient numbers dropped, so went the general maintenance and the buildings would begin
falling into disrepair.
It wasn't until 2003 that the hospital as a whole finally closed.
Since then, it's endured fire damage and deterioration, creating a haunting setting for interested
tourists.
Number 2.
The Domes of Casa Grande Strange domes and tunnels sit just outside
the Arizona town of Casa Grande.
These odd buildings once belonged to a circuit board manufacturer called InnerConn Technology
and this site was meant to be their new Headquarters upon construction in 1983.
But when the company went under, and the Union of California assumed ownership that same
year, they would remain incomplete and abandoned to this day.
Since then, a number of rumors regarding the desert oddities have arisen.
Some of these rural legends include the presence of portals that can apparently lead to alternate
dimensions, the site acting as a medium for summoning demons, and the rumor of rituals
which resulted in souls being trapped here.
In reality though, these domes are barely staying aloft as they crumble and decay, now
covered in graffiti.
The Casa Grande Domes have been deemed a safety hazard and as such are no longer widely opened
to the public.
Number 1.
Kennecott Mines From 1906 to 1938, this U.S. National Historic
Landmark was operational and one of the richest producers of copper ore in the world.
These mines churned out over 1 billion pounds of copper during their use, but in the 33
years, they eventually ran dry.
The mills of the Kennecott Mines, which were named for the glacier that sits in the Alaskan
valley below them, are still standing today, but only as a tourist destination for curious
hikers.